Stirring Magic
by Ravingmonk
Summary: The Charmed ones have a new friend, Winifred "Fred" Burkle, but they also encounter new dangers, demons, monsters, Piper and her new baby....oh what will happen next?
1. Chapter I

NOTE TO READERS: Please forgive me for any errors. I hope you like the story, and if you would like to give constructive criticism and comments they're welcomed. I also must say the characters pertaining to the story are borrowed, though their personalities are bit my own. Almost a crossover, but not, I only added Fred because I liked her character, still it's mostly a CHARMED FANFIC. So sit back and relax, and let the story begin.  
  
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Fred grimaced as she drank her coffee. She had a foul taste in her mouth  
  
and her head throbbed with pain. Maybe she shouldn't have been out all night  
  
drinking, but she was upset. She had her first real interview since leaving Los  
  
Angles for San Francisco, and she was turned down for a girl with blonde hair and a  
  
Yale degree. Supposedly, Harvard and Princeton were second rate these days.  
  
Resting her head on her arms, she hoped she could get focus before her meeting  
  
with Phoebe Halliwell. Hopefully, the waiter wouldn't interrupt her little nap.  
  
Someone tapped her on her shoulders. Fred groaned and was about to tell  
  
the waiter she was fine, but was shocked to see it wasn't the waiter, but a tall dark-  
  
haired man.  
  
"Hi," he said. "Are you okay?"  
  
Speechless, Fred was absolutely speechless. Her face turned beet red as she nodded.  
  
"I'm Chris. I thought you looked sick. Did you need some help?"  
  
Finally, she found her voice. "Oh, no sorry, just had a rough night that's all."  
  
Chris smiled. "Well, don't fall asleep here, there's a lot of crazy people in this  
  
city, wouldn't want to see you hurt."  
  
"I won't," said Fred as the waiter came over and handed her a note.  
  
"Well, I'll be seeing you," Chris waved as he hailed a cab, and disappeared  
  
down the busy street.  
  
"Yeah," whispered Fred, unaware of the note in her hand.  
  
"Miss are you alright?" asked the waiter, who had been standing beside her  
  
for a few minutes.  
  
Rapidly blinking the daydream from her eyes, Fred smiled. "I'm fine, I'm just  
  
going."  
  
The waiter bowed and went back inside. Fred laid a five dollar on the counter;  
  
she swung her bag over her shoulder, and started walking down the city street. She  
  
felt a bit better, though she still had a light head. At that moment, she realized she  
  
had a note in her hand, and opened it.  
  
Dear Fred,  
It's Wesley. I missed you, I'm sorry that you decided  
to leave, but I hope you're doing great in San Francisco. You said  
you had interviews lined up. I hope you find yourself a great job.  
Angel and I wanted to give you our best wishes and  
also we provided you a room at the hotel Edmont.  
Stay there as long as you like and call any time.  
We all miss you. BYE!  
  
Your Friend,  
Wesley  
  
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Phoebe was being attacked! Attacked by hundreds of demons, calling  
  
uncontrollably since four in the morning. She needed to finish her column for  
  
tomorrow, but her time had been consumed by all the stupid letters she was  
  
receiving and no one to organize it all. My husband's cheating on me, the baby's  
  
crying all night, why do I have green colored moss on my toes? Fighting a banshee  
  
or a water demon would be less hassle than trying to solve all of San  
  
Francisco's problems.  
  
Knock. Knock. Phoebe looked up as one of her co-workers, Mandy entered.  
  
"Someone to see you," she said. Her long brown hair was stiffen into curls by  
  
too much hairspray. Phoebe felt like running it down with water and lobbing it  
  
off, but of course, she had half of San Francisco cluttering her desk and the other  
  
half ringing off the hook.  
  
"Send them in," Phoebe said, smiling wide, though she felt like killing herself  
  
right there.  
  
Fred entered the office; she looked around and was surprised by the mess.  
  
She usually had bosses that were much cleaner than this, but then again she always  
  
worked in large corporations where there were hundreds of secretaries and clerks at  
  
hand.  
  
"Hi, can I help you?" asked Phoebe, though she wasn't paying attention as  
  
she began to shift through the papers to find her telephone, so she could unplug the  
  
cord.  
  
"Yes, you're Phoebe Halliwell, right?"  
  
"Yeah, what can I do for you?"  
  
Fred scanned the room and found a chair beside the door, then sat down.  
  
"I'm Winifred Burkle, but people call me Fred. I'm here for a job interview."  
  
"Um, yes, I'm looking for a new secretary, as you can see I need all the help I  
  
can get," Phoebe laughed, though looking at Fred's uncertain face, she stopped and  
  
coughed. "So, do you have a resume."  
  
Fred pulled out a black portfolio from her bag and handed it to Phoebe. She  
  
waited as Phoebe read, uncertain whether the "hmms" and "ums" were a good sign.  
  
Finally, Phoebe looked up a curious expression on her face.  
  
"Um, Fred, are you sure you want a job as my secretary?" asked Phoebe. "I  
  
mean seeing your background, you're much more qualified to work in some lab in  
  
Silicon Valley."  
  
"I actually have, but its really boring down there," said Fred. "No, I'm serious,  
  
I just need the job to earn some money, I've been trying to get interviews else  
  
where, but no one will take me."  
  
Phoebe nodded as she scratched the back of her neck uneasily. "I see, since  
  
I'm in desperate need of help. Then, I suppose you're hired. Can you start  
  
tomorrow."  
  
"Yes!" Fred cried and leaned over the desk to give Phoebe a hug. "Oh I'm  
  
sorry." She let go.  
  
Phoebe gave one of her wide smiles and chuckled. "That's okay, so I'll see  
  
you tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, thank you, thank you so much."  
  
When Fred left the office, Phoebe let out a great breath and dropped her head  
  
on a stack of e-mails. 


	2. Chapter II

READERS: UPDATED from 4/25/04. Thanks and as always keep the comments ^_^ plus suggestions coming! And thanks for reviewers help!!!!  
  
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Chris stepped out of the cab and looked up at a tall, ancient building. He  
  
knitted his thick brows, running a shaky hand down the straps of his backpack.  
  
'Maybe I shouldn't go inside' he thought, though a part of him urged him forward.  
  
'After all, I could just ask Piper, she might know or the answer might be in the Book  
  
of Shadows.'  
  
"Excuse me, can I help you?" asked a deep voice from behind.  
  
Startled, Chris jumped a little and turned around with surprised on his face.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was—I," stuttered Chris.  
  
"You're the new white lighter, Chris," said the man, who had a secretive grin,  
  
covered by a thin mustache. "I'm Gideon, the headmaster for the Magic  
  
School."  
  
"Um, yeah, I came here because I needed to find a book," Chris said a little  
  
uneasily.  
  
"Follow me then, I'll show you to our library," said Gideon.  
  
They headed through a thick passage way surrounded by tall hedges, then  
  
emerged in a garden, where a tiny pond trickled with water from a fountain. Chris  
  
looked at the cupid statue on top of the fountain and thought he saw it moved.  
  
However, he didn't have time to find out, when the headmaster opened two  
  
enormous wooden doors and disappeared. Following behind him, Chris noticed they  
  
were in a very large tiled room, the walls were covered with striped wall paper, and  
  
hundreds of portraits lined in rows down the long and winding hall.  
  
"There are many of the greats here, that's Professor Chadwick, he invented  
  
floating ghost light, then there's Abigail Mitchell she was the smartest in her class of  
  
I think she still roams these halls at times," said Gideon as he pointed  
  
to the pictures of the people he spoke about. Then, he stopped in front  
of  
  
white painted door, with spirals etched along the borders, and a gold  
plate that  
  
read LIBRARY. "We're here, if you would like any assistance you can find  
me in  
  
my office down the hall and to your left."  
  
Chris nodded and watched as the headmaster left before he entered the  
  
library. 


	3. Chapter III

READER'S NOTE: ( Bringing to you live, Chapter III, hopefully this one will satisfy your reading pleasure. Comments or suggestions please leave them, they really are helpful. Thanks for the praise reviewers; I'll keep trying my best to keep you all happy. ^_^  
  
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Sweat dripped down his temples, but Chris did not care to wipe it away, he  
  
had found it, the book. After what seemed like several hours of researching he  
  
discovered, not the answer, but a guide to it. Suddenly he looked up. His face froze  
  
almost in terror, but he quickly replaced it with a grin. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Paige Halliwell looked at her nephew; a dark strand of his hair fell in his light  
  
eyes making him more like a boy than a twenty-three year old man. She almost  
  
laughed at the thought that she would have a nephew that was about her age, but  
  
then again he was from the future. She tapped her black heels on the wooden  
  
ground, her auburn hair swept into a loose ponytail swayed behind her as she tried  
  
to get a glimpse of the book in Chris's hand, but he snatched it away before she  
  
finished reading the whole title.  
  
"Is there something that you need?" asked Chris.  
  
"Not really, I just came over because Piper went to the doctors and she  
  
wanted me to watch Wyatt while she was gone."  
  
"Is something the matter with her?" asked Chris his voice quickly turning to  
  
concern.  
  
"Just a check up to make sure baby Chris is alright," said Paige, her eye  
  
brows arched. "You mind telling me what that book is?"  
  
Chris looked at Paige his eyes gazing at her suspiciously. "Nothing, it's  
  
nothing." He placed the book and several others into his bad and stood back up, his  
  
six feet one inches almost towering over his aunt, who still looked at him with  
  
skepticism.  
  
"Well, I was worried because Gideon told me you came in here four hours ago  
  
and haven't come out since. You know if something's the matter, you can tell me,"  
  
said Paige.  
  
"I'm okay. I just needed to find some spell on how to kill some demons that's  
  
all, nothing to worry about." Brushing past Paige, Chris pulled open the library door  
  
and disappeared down the hall.  
  
Paige sighed and looked around the enormously empty room. The lofty  
  
shelves of books stood ominously against the dim walls, a slight breeze disturbed the  
  
heavy window curtains, and the eerily silence deafen her ears. A shiver ran down  
  
her back as she felt a pair of eyes watching her. Inhaling sharply, Paige did not feel  
  
the need to stay in the dark library any longer and picked up her feet, running  
  
quickly down the hall.  
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In and out, breathe, in and out. Piper tried to concentrate on her inhaling  
  
and exhaling, but she was too distracted with figuring out a spell to kill a Bogart  
  
lurking around a city street alley to keep her breathing regular.  
  
"Ms. Halliwell, you must stay focus, the birthing process would be less painful  
  
if you breath in the correct manner," said the doctor.  
  
"Yeah, or I could just take a pain-relief potion," muttered Piper.  
  
"What?" asked the doctor, who had his glasses on the tip of his nose and eyes  
  
reading another patient's chart.  
  
"Nothing, Dr. Jacobs, I know how to breathe, it's just I'm distracted," replied  
  
Piper grinning slightly, her freckles on her cheeks turning bright red.  
  
Dr. Jacobs looked up and nodded. "Yes, I understand after all you're nearly 9  
  
months pregnant, and the baby is due any—" BEEP. The doctor pulled out a pager  
  
from his white coat and frowned. "I guess I will have to see you once the baby is  
  
due, any more check ups you may need before that, just contact the secretary and  
  
make an appointment. I have to leave for surgery now, good luck Ms. Halliwell."  
  
Piper rolled her eyes as Dr. Jacobs left. She sighed and rolled herself off the  
  
cot. Her back ached and her head felt heavy, she looked down at her large belly and  
  
rubbed it. She smiled and felt a twang as baby Chris rolled in his sleep. Just then a  
  
stream of blue light fell down and Leo emerged, his short hair tousled and white shirt  
  
torn.  
  
"Leo?" asked Piper.  
  
"Come on, we have to go now," said Leo, taking Piper's arm and they orbed  
  
away. 


	4. Chapter IV

NOTE TO READERS: Wow I've been slacking on the updating chapters here. Well very sorry for the delay, here is a fresh chapter for you all, hope you guys like. . Comments and suggestions as always. Thanks.  
  
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Fred left the office, she sighed. What was she doing? She should be back  
  
home in Los Angles, she really missed the gang, especially Wesley, but she couldn't  
  
turn back now, not when she made it all so important for her to be independent.  
  
"Abo-sla-tively."  
  
Fred grinned, and then frowned as she glanced at her watch. It was only four  
  
o'clock and she had a whole day of nothing to do. She walked down the parking lot,  
  
glancing at her reflection in the car windows. Suddenly she heard a door open, and  
  
Phoebe Halliwell exited from the news building. She looked rushed.  
  
Thinking it best not to be seen, Fred hid behind a Volvo, and watched steadily  
  
as Phoebe pulled out her car keys. "What am I doing spying on her? It's like I've  
  
turned into a Watcher, Wesley would be proud." Fred smiled to her self and kept  
  
watching as Phoebe pulled out of the parking lot in a red convertible. She stood up  
  
from her place and wondered to herself. Just then she heard a noise and right  
  
behind her she felt a movement. But before she could turn around, a hand wrapped  
  
itself around her mouth. She tried to struggled free, but she was held tightly.  
  
"Shh, Fred, it's me, it's Wesley," said a man's voice.  
  
Fred turned around and gasped, she looked into Wesley's dark blue eyes and  
  
nearly cried. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed smelling his light musky  
  
scent.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"I'm here on...Watcher business." Fred noticed his face looked grim, this was  
  
something serious.  
  
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When Phoebe reached the house, her nerves were taut. She had just  
  
received an urgent call from Piper. Something was wrong, but they wouldn't tell her  
  
what until she got home. "This had better be good," thought Phoebe opening the  
  
front door of the house; she had a ton of work to do, and an article due tomorrow.  
  
In the living room she found Piper and Leo sitting together on the couch.  
  
Paige and Chris were over by the crib looking at Wyatt. Placing down her bag,  
  
Phoebe looked at everyone and put both hands on her hips.  
  
"Anyone, mind telling me what's going on?" asked Phoebe, her lips pursed.  
  
Paige and Chris looked up and both gave each other an uncertain look. Leo  
  
stood up and smiled weakly.  
  
"Well there's a situation," said Leo hesitantly.  
  
Phoebe noticed his blood stained shirt and his mud flecked hair. "What  
  
happened?"  
  
"I-I'm no longer an elder."  
  
Paige and Chris both looked appalled. "What, how?" cried Chris.  
  
"They must have made a mistake," said Paige, her full red lips set.  
  
"Leo is this true?" asked Piper whose voice was calm.  
  
Leo turned to look at Piper, his light hazel eyes looked so tranquil, it was hard  
  
not to believe him. "Yes it's true." Leo nodded.  
  
Piper shifted her eyes away and stared into the empty fireplace.  
  
"So, how did this happen?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"I was just coming down here to see Piper, and when I went to the magic  
  
school I was attacked...I had to defend myself. They stripped me of my title because  
  
I killed someone," answered Leo, his voice shaky.  
  
"You still have your powers?" asked Chris his brows knitted.  
  
"Yeah, I'm still a white lighter," Leo replied though skeptical.  
  
Chris nodded in relief, and turned around to check on Wyatt. Paige headed  
  
over to Piper and sat down.  
  
"Did you see these creatures?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"They looked human to me, but they could have been any demons in  
  
disguised. I just remember when I stabbed one of them they bled, but strangely he  
  
didn't disappear, the other guy had to drag him away."  
  
"Wait you're telling me that this all happened in front of the magic school?"  
  
said Paige. "And no one saw?"  
  
"Yeah," said Leo, suddenly realizing the ironic turn out. "You think Gideon  
  
knows something?"  
  
"Yeah," replied Paige. "Tell me when did this happen?"  
  
"Around noon," said Leo. "Why?"  
  
"Chris what time were you in the library?" asked Paige, "I got there around  
  
two o'clock and you were still there."  
  
"I-I was there around eleven, why?" said Chris his eye brows arching.  
  
"Strange, just that Leo said the body was dragged, so there should have been  
  
blood at the scene, but if you were there at eleven, then you should have heard  
  
something. I think we should visit the magic school and find out what happened."  
  
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "Paige and me will go, the rest of you find out anything  
  
you can about the demons in the Book of Shadows, Piper we need you to stay with  
  
Wyatt."  
  
"But I don't think you two should go alone, not when the demons attacked at  
  
the magic school, they might know something we don't know," said Piper standing  
  
up.  
  
"We don't have time, we can protect ourselves, we've dealt with bigger  
  
demons than these, there's no problem," said Phoebe.  
  
Piper still felt unsure, but she let it go, and went over to Wyatt. Leo and  
  
Chris headed upstairs to find out something in the Book of Shadows, while Phoebe  
  
and Paige left the house.  
  
Phoebe pulled out her keys and was about to open her car door, when she  
  
noticed a blue car sitting on the corner, and inside sat two figures. She had a  
  
suspicious feeling she recognized the girl on the passenger side, but she was  
  
interrupted by Paige urging her to hurry. They sped out of the drive and headed  
  
towards the magic school, unaware that something blue followed a few feet behind. 


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